Owen William's story

Owen Williams spent his last days at Bluebell Wood with his family around him. His mum and dad, Gary and Victoria, share the story of their beautiful baby boy.

Gary says “We found out at our 12 week scan that Owen had fluid on his neck, and something wasn’t right. We were referred to Leeds for a heart scan, and at 20 weeks, the doctors told us that our baby’s heart tubes were narrow. His heartbeat was irregular and missing a beat.

“They said there might be a chance of an operation shortly after his birth, which would mean he would live until he was 20. But then, at 36 weeks, we got the devastating news that our baby’s heartbeat was dropping, and the doctors wouldn’t be able to operate on him when he was born, as he would be too unwell to survive the operation. Being told that our baby wouldn’t survive hit me like a tonne of bricks. It felt like they’d ripped my heart out.

“After he was born on 26thAugust, we all came to Bluebell Wood straight away. As soon as we got there, we were made to feel so welcome. We moved into a room, where we could be close to Owen. While we were there we took him for walks in the beautiful gardens, and we had lots of photos taken together as a family. I got to bath Owen, which was one of the things I wanted to do the most. All our family came to visit us, and could be with us whenever we wanted. While we stayed there, everything was done for us, we were so well taken care of.”

Victoria added “All the staff at Bluebell Wood were just amazing; so helpful and friendly. I sat up with Owen watching Aladdin one night, and the night staff made sure we were both OK. Owen passed away just two days after we arrived at Bluebell Wood. We then moved into theForget-me-not suite, which meant we could still be by his side until his funeral. The staff were amazing, they helped us arrange his funeral, and made us casts of his hands, feet and fingerprints for a memory box we treasure. They even helped us to get funding for a headstone for him.

“We still go to Bluebell Wood’s annual Remembering Day every year. It’s a special event for families like us to remember their children. Bluebell Wood is an incredibly supportive place, and meant so much to our family to be there. For that short time, Bluebell was our home, and the only home Owen ever knew.”

Tilly has hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy, which means she didn’t get enough oxygen to her brain when she was born. Now she comes to Bluebell Wood with her mum, Rebecca, and her big brother, Gabriel, where she loves meeting new people and relaxing in the spa pool.

William is Paul and Michelle’s ‘miracle boy’. Before he was born he had a stroke and spent the first nine months of his life in hospital. Despite facing so many challenges, William has never stopped smiling, and he loves coming to Bluebell Wood.

Mia was a happy, bubbly nine-year-old who was always on the go. In August 2018 she was diagnosed with a rare condition where the body reacts aggressively to an infection, and she died eight days later. Her family spend valuable time together at Bluebell Wood after she passed away.

Four month old Lily died at Bluebell Wood in February 2017 after being born with a rare heart condition. Her mum and dad, Ella and Ryan, call the hospice their lifeline, and they still visit with their son, Oliver.

Chester and Rhianna were born at just 26 weeks old in 2009, and they spent their first year in hospital fighting for their lives. Chester has brain damage and Hirschsprung disease, which means he can’t pass poo normally, and now visits Bluebell Wood for short breaks. His mum and dad, Lisa and Ian, tell his story:

Charlotte Lee calls daughter Gracie her snow baby. Born in January 2009 following a healthy pregnancy, Gracie’s arrival was a few months after young Sheffield mum Charlotte had received the surprise but welcome news that she was expecting. However, over the next few years Gracie had some developmental issues, which led to a sad discovery.

Olivia is a bubbly, chatty teenager who loves singing, and all things Harry Potter. She lives in Sheffield with her mum and dad, Michelle and Russell, and her brothers, Harry and Finley, and loves spending time at Bluebell Wood.

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